Because of You
by acethebatdog2039
Summary: A very late X-Mas story so sorry. Post Epilogue One Year Later.


* * *

Because of You

Acebatdog2039

B.B./J.L.U. fanfic

Time Line: Post Epilogue (Year later)

* * *

Hands on the mirror, can't get much clearer  
Can't make this all go away  
Now that you're bleeding you stare at the ceiling  
Watch as it all fades away

* * *

He looked at himself in the mirror and tried to rub away the dark circles from under his eyes. 'I look twenty years older.' Terry thought. 'They are going to be the death of me.' He took one more long look at the mirror before sighing and walking out his room at the Metro Tower and down the hall. He hated being away from Gotham around Christmas; he missed his mother and little brother. He tried as hard as he could with his marriage to Dana to work but it didn't. After hearing from his brother that he saw Dana at a club with someone made his blood boil. At first he didn't say anything but once Dana told him that she was pregnant and Terry knew the child wasn't his. After a fight and some yelling the cat was let out of the bag. Terry moved out their apartment and went back to the manor to live with Bruce again. Bruce didn't ask why they broke up but learned the truth once Terry couldn't hind his anger anymore.

Finding one of the large meeting rooms he found Clark Kent a.k.a. Superman and J'onn J'onzz talking quietly. "Anything I need to look at while I'm here in Metropolis?" Terry asked. "I'll cover Metropolis. I'm sure Bruce wants you to go over Gotham a few time before tonight." Clark said. Terry smiled. "Hell, if he had his way I wouldn't be here in Metropolis at all. But he'll get over it." Terry crossed his arms over his chest. "Make sure you send him in the car you know how much he hates the teleporter." J'onn said to the young Batman. "Sure. Can you send me over to the cave?" Terry asked as the three of them left the meeting room. "I left my other keys in my other pants. My one day trip turned into three days. I had to take Rex's pants." Terry stood on the pad as the Martian's fingers flew over the keys. "Send Bruce over as soon as you leave for patrol." Clark said with a smile. Terry nodded and closed his eyes as J'onn hit the button that would send him home.

Terry opened his eyes in the dark cave below Wayne Manor to find Bruce sitting his old chair in front of the mega computer. The old man looked away from the computer to watch his son walk past him without saying a word. It was a little game between the two to see who would say thing first. Bruce won this game a lot. As Terry started to pull on the suit for his night job he watched Bruce watch him. He pulled off the bottom layer of the suit and threw Rex's jeans onto the cold cave floor. "So how was your day trip?" Bruce asked. Terry smile he won this round. "All right I guess would have been better if it was one day and not three." Terry said. He pulled the top layer over his head. "Too bad you not going to be home for Christmas with your family." Bruce watched as Terry pulled his boots on. "Well I see some of the people of the League as family. Hell Barbara, Tim, and Dick are going to be there. They're family." Bruce gave him a small smile. Tim and Dick called Terry the 'baby brother'. Terry pulled the gloves over his hands. "I'll send the car back after I get downtown." Terry said pulling the mask over his handsome face.

* * *

From what you do, because of you  
You know I can't be there  
Each time that you call  
I swore not to come, but I'm here after all  
I know by the look that I see in your eye  
I won't stand around and I won't watch you die  
From what you do, because of you

* * *

Terry flew over the city looking for trouble. Gotham was normally quietly around Christmas time but some days were better than others. As soon downtown was covered and looked good, he headed for the east side of the city. "An 11-54 at Crews Street possible 62b or 64 and use 10-0." The person's voice came over the com-link in Terry's mask. '11-54? Ah, Suspicious vehicle. 62b is a simple burglary and 64is… armed robbery and use caution.' Terry though. Terry could see police officers standing around what would be the suspicious vehicle. Terry landed a few feet away from the officers. "Gentlemen," Terry said in his Batman voice. The four turned to greet the Tomorrow Knight. A young man looked almost scared of Batman. "Rookie, huh?" Batman asked. The young officer nodded. "So what do you have Officer Kyle?" Officer Kyle came over to Batman; "Well, sir, as far as we can see there is a weapon in the car and there are some lights on in the warehouse. We would go in but a lot of the Officers of off because of Christmas and we have a Rookie. I don't want to bring that boy in there." Kyle said rubbing his ear. "And we're getting all these calls…" Batman held up his hand. "I'll take this you boys get some coffee and a different call." Batman said looking over the warehouse. "You sure? I can come in with you if you want." Kyle said. Officer Kyle put his hands in his pockets. "I got it. You get your boys out of the cold. If the Commissioner asks about this tell her I handed it." Batman told the Officer. The retractable wings came from under his arms and boots went off sending him on the roof of the warehouse.

Batman waited until the police officers left the area before looking for a window. Batman turned on the cloaking device after popping the lock on one of the windows. He hopped from box to box until he was on the ground. Batman slowly moved around until he could hear a group of people yelling. He moved until he found five young men the oldest must been around forty and was hitting a younger man. "Are you fucking stupid, huh?" the older one smacked the young one. "Oh my God you are stupid!" Batman moved closer to the thugs. As the leader of the thugs went to hit the younger one again he hit Batman across the chest turning off the cloaking device. "Shit the Batman!" one of the lower thugs yelled. 'Shit.' Batman thought. He back away and raised his hands and balled them into fists.

Batman grabbing the thug that was closest to him and sent his knee into the man's chin sending him to the ground with a broken jaw. Two of the other thugs came at Batman and he grab them and slamming their head together both of them falling to the ground. The leader pulled out a knife and tried to stab Batman. Batman moved behind the leader grabbing his hand pulling his arm behind his back almost breaking his arm. The knife fell to the ground next to the young man who was still sitting on the floor. Batman smirked at them. As Batman turned to around to pull the young man off the ground the young man reached up and stabbed him at the hip and pull the blade up to his ribs. Batman yelled out in pain and the blade was pulled out. He fell to his knees in pain. He looked up and the young man as the leader came next to him and pulled a gun out. "Let's get rid of him." He said. Just as the he was going to pull the trigger the young man stopped him. "No leave him." He said. The five them left the warehouse with Batman bleeding on the floor.

* * *

What you do, what you do  
What's become of you?  
What you do, what you do  
What's become of...?

* * *

Bruce could honestly say he was having a good time. As much as he liked holidays with just Terry, Barbara, Tim, and Dick it was nice to see all the old friends again. Seeing John and Shayera fight was always fun, the two being married more than fifty years and they still couldn't get along. Wally was still the happy-go-lucky pain in the ass that they all love. The Scarlet Speedster really took to Terry. Taught him jokes that Wally knew would make Bruce angry and even taught Terry how to fight someone with super-speed just in case. Linda Park-West smacked her husband's shoulder after some rude remark to Superman. The Metro Tower's living quarters with the immense living room and kitchen for this type of event. Rex and Kai-Ro were sitting in front of the T.V. playing video game while Marina watched; Tim and Dick were talking to Diana next to the Christmas tree, Barbara was helping in the kitchen with Linda and Shayera. Clark, John, and Wally were sitting at the table laughing about the good old days as Wally keeps calling them. J'onn came to sit to Bruce on the sofa across the tree. "When should Terry be here?" he asked. In J'onn's hand were a few Oreos, Tim gave him a bag as a joke. "Well if the city is quiet he would have done Downtown, then the north side and the east side and would have done a quick check of the south side before heading home. It could take anywhere from hour to hour an half." Bruce stated. "But you never know he could run into something."

* * *

Now that you did this, you ask for forgiveness  
Doctor could you be my priest  
You say you're mistaken, but look what you've taken  
You laugh as you lie through your teeth

* * *

Laying on the ground Batman slowly pulled something out his belt. He started pushing buttons like he was making a phone call. 'Shit… this isn't good. I'm going into shock… got to get a hold of Bruce.' Terry thought. 'Can't fall asleep…think about Christmas… anything.' He slowly pulled a small disc from the belt. He pressed a small button making the disc bigger and he pulled part of the suit up and pressed the disc against his skin. He cried out in pain as the disc became hot and burn at his skin. 'So much for a quick night out.' He thought as his eyes started to close.

Rex's phone started ringing just as the group was sitting down for dinner. Just as Rex was getting ready to open his phone as Bruce's, Wally's, and Clark's phone went off. They looked at each other in question. "What is it?" someone asked. "It's a text message." Rex said opening his phone. "From Terry. He needs our help." Rex said getting up from the table. "What's wrong?" Shayera asked. "He's been stabbed." Bruce answered. "Wally get me a laptop." Wally nodded and ran to another room and came back with a computer. Bruce opened the computer and logged on to the Web and started typing. He pulled up a page with a red bat on it. Bruce punched in a password and a map of Gotham pulled up and stats of the suit. Bruce's eyes went over the computer screen. "J'onn send Rex and Clark to Crews Street in a warehouse." He told the three of them. "Be careful he's going into shock!" The text message from Terry burned into Bruce's memory. _'Stabbed… a lot of blood… sock… pain… from left hip to ribs… can't move… send help.'_ It said. "Now we wait." He said out loud sitting back in his chair.

Clark and Rex flew through the warehouse calling for Terry. "Batman!" Warhawk called out. "Batman!" Superman called. Superman heard a small noise. "This way Warhawk." They went over a couple of rows of boxes. Then they saw him in a pool of his own blood. "Terry!" Rex yelled. The two heroes landed near their fallen friend. "Holy shit…" Rex removed the mask from Terry's face. His face was ashy, his face cold and he was clammy. Terry had a hard time keeping his eyes open. "You came." He said almost surprised. "I… I… almost… lost… hope." He tried to pick up his head but it fell back. "We're going to get you out of here Terry don't worry. And we wouldn't leave you, your family." Clark said giving him a small smile. Rex carefully picked him up as Clark spoke into his com-link. "All right J'onn we got him."

* * *

From what you do, Because of you  
You know I can't be there  
Each time that you call  
I swore not to come, but I m here after all  
I know by the look that I see in your eye  
I won't stand around and I won't watch you die  
From what you do, because of you

* * *

"Rex please sit down." Bruce asked the young man. Rex was pacing the hallway in front of the room where J'onn was doing Terry's abdominal surgery. "I…I can't." he said. He was rubbing his hands together as if he was trying to get the blood of them. Not just anyone's blood. Terry's blood. It was Marina who took Rex away into a different room. "What did J'onn say before he took him in?" Wally asked. He was sitting with his wife holding her hand. Clark ran a hand over his face. The knife got part of his small intestine, his stomach, and his spleen. He's lost a lot of blood. J'onn said he might have to remove his spleen but other that he doesn't know." Bruce just watched the doors, he wanted to know what was going on in there. Sitting Rex carrying his son covered in his own blood was hard. His son… a part of him. Bruce sighed. Clark took Rex's spot and started to pace. "Will you sit down damn it?" Bruce snapped. Everyone looked at him. Bruce Wayne didn't lose his cold a lot, even in his old age. "Bruce…" Clark said slowly. "I'm fine. Stop pacing and sit the hell down." He said playing with his cane. "Terry's in the best of hands." He looked away from the door. Clark nodded; he moved to sit in chair when he turned to the two doors quickly catching everyone's eye. "What is it" Bruce asked. 'Please don't be dead.' Everyone was watching Clark. "Well?" Wally asked. "He crashed." Clark whispered. Linda started to cry and so did Wally. "What's going on?" Bruce asked. He needed to know. "They are pulling out the defibrillator." Clark paused. "They are shocking him now… and again… and again." He said looking away. 'Come on Terry.' Bruce thought. "He's back." Clark said. He closed his eyes and sat down in a chair across from Bruce looking older than ever. Diana came and sat next to him. No one moved or said anything when J'onn came through the doors. "He's stable for now. I had to remove his spleen and rebuild his small intestines but he should be fine. The next couple of hours are going to be hard. I want someone with him the whole time don't leave him alone." J'onn ordered.

* * *

What you do, what you do  
What's become of you?  
What you do, what you do  
What's become of...?

* * *

"Well Terry its Christmas Eve. We wanted to see if you would wake up and have dinner with us but it looks like a no." Bruce said to his son. Bruce sighed. They moved Terry into his room in the tower sometime after midnight J'onn said that he would be fine and all he needed to do was wake up and rest. "Barbara said you better be awake on Christmas Day or she would give you a piece of her mind. Diana said the same thing. Tim really misses you. He said he misses his little brother's laugh and smile. I told him it wasn't like you were dead. Maybe that wasn't the best thing to say. I was never good with words you know that better than anyone." Brice said looking everywhere but at Terry. Why was he making small talk to someone who wasn't even awake? 'Because J'onn said it would help that's why.' Bruce sat back in his chair next to Terry's bedside. "Wally threw a cherry bomb in one of the bathrooms, Clark just happen to be in there at the time. Wally said it was your idea and that you showed him how to make homemade cherry bombs. Why you had to show him I'm not sure, Wally was a scientist Terry. I'm sure he could have figured it out he's a lot smarter than people think." Bruce looked around the small bedroom it was nothing like the one Terry had back at the manor. No pictures of his family, his cousins, aunts, uncles, his little brother, Matt, or his mother Mary. It was almost empty. A laptop sat on the desk facing Bruce with a screen saver running of pictures cycling. Ones of Terry and Rex playing something called Guitar Hero, drawing on a sleeping Superman's face, running away from Clark, playing video games, playing softball and baseball, and even pictures of Terry and Rex asleep at meetings. Terry's life in Metropolis at the Tower was in those pictures.

* * *

From what you do...

Hands on the mirror, can't get much clearer  
Can't make this all go away  
Now that you're bleeding you stare at the ceiling  
And watch as it all fades away

* * *

His gut hurt. Terry tried not to roll on to his left side. He pushed his head back into the pillow. 'Oh my God. Holy shit.' He slowly sat up. 'Where the hell am I? I know I'm not dead. This hurts too much to be dead.' Terry sighed. 'Maybe if I lay back down for a little bit.' He laid his head back on his pillow and fell into an uneasy sleep. The next time Terry McGinnis opened his eyes he knew where he was. He sat up using his right arm to push himself up. Swinging his legs over onto the floor he tired to stand. After almost falling onto his face he figured out how to walk again. He looked down at his left side and let out a breath. "Wow… and I was thinking it wasn't that bad." He said to himself. With just a pair of sweatpants on he slowly walked to door and opened it. He looked out the hallway looking for someone. 'Where the hell are they?' he thought. Walking down the hallway with his left hand on the wall and his right on his left side he went down the hallway one step at a time.

He made to the end of the hallway faster then he thought he would. He could see his friends facing away from where he was, they were watching something on the T.V. The faces he could see they looked upset and troubled. "Who the hell died?" Terry asked loudly. Everyone turned to see him standing in the doorway of the living room. Their faces brighten up the second they laid eyes on him. "Terry!" Tim and Dick yelled moving to help their 'brother'. The two sat him next to Bruce, who was really smiling. "Terry do you need anything?" Diana asked. "A shirt, please?" he asked. It felt eerie having them all staring at his side and the burn marks from the defibrillator. "I'll get you one of my dress shirts, Terry" Rex said. As Rex went down hall for the shirt Terry looked away from them all. "Did I miss Christmas?" he asked. "Nope, it's only noon on Christmas day." Clark said giving Terry a warm smile. "J'onn said you shouldn't eat anything solid for a while you have to let your body heal first." Clark said. Rex came back with a black button down shirt for Terry. "Here I hope it fits like my pants." He joked. Terry smiled and took the shirt from him. A few of them moved in closer to help him. "I'm fine. If I can walk down a hallway I think I put a shirt on." He said. Putting one sleeve on at a time he pulled the shirt on over his shoulders and started to button the buttons. The group let Terry wake up before questioning him about the other night. He explained that it was his fault and that he should have told the officers to stay with him. Terry stayed on the sofa as they ate dinner too weak to move. He closed his eyes and took a small nap as they ate without him.

* * *

From what you do, Because of you  
You know I can't be there  
Each time that you call  
I swore not to come, but I m here after all  
I know by the look that I see in your eye  
I won't stand around and I won't watch you die  
From what you do, because of you

* * *

Terry woke up when someone sat on the sofa with him. He rubbed his eyes and looked to see who was sitting next to him, it was Bruce. "Merry Christmas, Bruce." Terry said softy. "Merry Christmas, Terry." Bruce replied. "Are you feeling better?" Terry rubbed his eyes again. "A little. Just trying not to move too much." Terry answered. Bruce nodded. The rest of group came into the room taking seats in the living room. "Can we open gifts now?" Wally asked. "How old are you?" Clark asked. "Really Wally must you ask?" Terry laughed a little then closed his eyes in pain. "See you hurt the poor boy," Wally said coming to stand next to Terry. "Poor boy." Wally started to pat Terry's head.

* * *

What you do, what you do  
What's become of you?  
What you do, what you do  
What's become of...?

* * *

After gifts were open and family stories were shared Bruce and Terry slowly made their way back to their rooms. "Well I'm glad I woke up when I did." Terry said walking past Wally and Linda's room. "Me too. Christmas would have been no fun if it was just Wally making bad jokes." Bruce said. "Are you saying my jokes are bad?" Terry asked stopping to rest on the wall. Bruce stopped with him. "Not at all. Your jokes have more… class… than Wally's. You haven't been alive as long as Wally so maybe that's it. Or maybe you haven't seen all of the things we've done that he jokes about." Bruce explained. "Maybe." Terry pushed himself off the wall and started down the hall to his room with Bruce following. Making it to his room and sitting on his bed and started to his pull the shirt that Rex gave him. Bruce came over and helped him a little. "There you go." Bruce said softly. Terry rubbed his eyes. "I've only been up a few hours and I'm exhausted. I think I could sleep for a week." Terry said pulling himself into his bed. He pulled his blanket over his body. Bruce sat on bed next to him. "Well seeing as you're missing a spleen and J'onn had to rebuild your small intestines…" Bruce trailed off. "Yeah your right." Terry yawed. "Get some sleep Terry." Bruce said standing up from the bed. "Goodnight Bruce. Merry Christmas." Terry said laying back into his pillows. "Goodnight Terry." Bruce watched Terry fall asleep before turning the lights off in his son's room. "Merry Christmas, son."

* * *

A/N: Okay I know its late... I'm sorry. With school and everything I'm happy to know what my name is. I really hope you all liked it. So, happy late Merry Christmas.

Ace


End file.
